𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒JAMESRoman stared at me for what felt like a million years. He looked apprehensive as if he was trying to gauge how the formation was going to affect me. After a few more seconds, I couldn't take it again. "Roman!" I grunted, sending him a scowl.Roman rolled his eyes and nodded his head. "Okay, okay, chill. Now answer me this, when did the Morello's move into town, Gunner?""Five years ago," I replied. And then I clicked. I suddenly understood where he was going with this. "But it doesn't fit into the timeframe of all the child disappearances," I reasoned. If what Roman Anderson was trying to tell me was true, then he would have to make it all fit in my head. If not, It was going to be pretty difficult for me to believe him. It wasn't my fault. That was just how detectives were wired.Roman lifted a brow, the corner of his mouth twitching. "If you're as smart as you think you are, you'll know it was about five years ago that drugs started to flow into these streets." He s

𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐀VANESSAI heard my father clear his throat as I approached him.He turned and tried to muster a sweet smile, which I was sure was not humanly possible when it came to my dad."Everything okay, Dad?" I asked and he gave me a nod, took off his suit jacket and placed it by his briefcase before taking off his tie and loosening the top two buttons of his shirt.I kept staring at the tattoo on the top of his hand, the symbol that represented our family-the wolf. The symbol consisted of chains weaved together to form a wolf's face, almost like a tribal sign. Both my brothers and all my uncles and cousins who have decided to devote their lives to the family business have the same symbol tattooed on their hands. My mom, like all the other women in our family, has it on the inside of her wrist. Everyone who had gone through the initiation ceremony received that symbol and wore it as a sign of their loyalty and commitment to the Bologna legacy.I was the only Bologna who hadn't be

𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 JAMES It was nine forty-five, and I was sitting at the bar in Bolivia and staring at the whiskey in my glass. There was no doubt in my mind they would show up tonight. It was Daniel Bologna's birthday today, and everyone knew Daniel was notorious for his party, being the wild one of the Bologna brothers. I also happened to know this was one of his favorite spots. Bolivia was known for its upper-class clientele. It was a three-story club with a bar on the lower level where luxurious leather couches surrounded the black and white checkered dance floor. The second floor was more like a gallery that overlooked the rest of the club and the top floor was something of a mystery to everyone who wasn't someone. The second floor was where all the big VIP fuckers sat, pretending they were watching over their little kingdom of drunken souls. There they were served by waitresses dressed in nothing but shiny red miniskirts and matching crop tops. I was also pretty sure on

𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒JAMESEvery male instinct inside me raged, rumbling with the need to hear her scream my name, to feel her walls tighten around me while I gave her the most powerful orgasm she had ever had in her entire life. Giving this woman pleasure had now become my only goal. I wanted to pound multiple goddamn releases into her while the sound of my name on her lips rang through my ears like a fucking cheerleading song. I wrapped my other arm around her waist and jerked her harder against me, letting her feel how hard I was for her. "If I'm correct, there's a rule somewhere in the Criminal Mafia Handbook for Dummies that says you're not allowed to fraternize with cops." The seductive smile that spread across her face made my cock twitch. "I already told you, I have no idea about this mafia thing you're talking about, Detective." I moved closer and put my lips against the side of her cheek, and I was pretty sure I felt her shiver. "Oh, that's right," I started. "You'

𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐀 VANESSA Enzo narrowed his eyes as he glanced from me to James, and then down to where James' hand rested on my hip. I didn't know if it was just the tension and angst that currently swirled all around us, but I was pretty sure I saw Enzo's nostrils flare, his lips moving like he was biting the inside of his cheek. Was he jealous? Of course not. The thought was completely absurd since Enzo Morello was incapable of feeling anything for anyone. And for him to be jealous would mean he had to feel something. Again, absurd. Enzo looked back up at me and smiled maliciously. "I guess once you've experienced the thrill of breaking the rules, you'll always crave that exhilaration, won't you…little lamb?" The moment those words came out of his mouth, it felt like every drop of blood drained from my body. Shudders wracked through me as my legs grew weak. If it weren't for James gripping me so tightly against him, I would have been flat on my ass on the floor. Little lamb